Motor control



June 24, 1930. J. T. JANETTE 1,765,489

uo'ron common Filed Dec. 6, 1924 Patented June 24, 1930 PATENT 'os icE JOHN '1. JANETTE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS MOTOR CONTROL Application filed December 6, 1924. Serial No. 754,441.

While the apparatus embodying the present invention maybe adapted for more or less general use, it is particularly intended to be utilized in connection with motor driven pumps for pumping liquid fuel or the like. The liquid fuel intended for use in connection with boilers or other heating apparatus particularly for household purposes is often stored in an underground tank adapted to hold a large quantity as for instance several 7 thousand gallons and a motor driven pump is utilized for pumping the oil from the tank to an auxiliary tank in the basement or boiler 'room.- In some installations of this character a float is provided in the auxiliary tank for opening'and closing the switch as the'oil falls or rises in the auxiliary tank. This provides an automatic control but it 7 will be readily seen that if the float should happen to leak it would fail to operate the switch and the pump might continue in operation until all of the contents of the supply tank were pumped into the basement or boiler room. 'Furthermore, if the outlet pipe from the auxiliary tank should become broken and should permit the oil to escapeasfast as it is pumped into the tank, the float would fail to be operated and in this way all of the oil from the supplytank might be pumped out into'the basement. or boiler room. In either event there is not only the danger of loss of the fuel but also great danger of fire in the event the excess fuel in the basement becomes ignited. I

V The present invention is directed to control means whereby the motor will be automatically stopped under either of such conditions as well as during the normal operation of the apparatus, certain features of the present invention which are shown herein. are moreparticularly shown and claimed in my copen'dingapplication, Serial No. 25,530, filed April24,1925. V p v The objects ofthe present invention are to provide an improved automatic motor control; to provide means whereby an automatic float actuated switch mechanism will cause the switch'to be opened in the event that the float sinks'beyond the predetermined position; to provide means whereby a motor driven pump of the character described will be stopped in the event that the float leaks or moves downwardly beyond the given position; to provide an automatic switch having three operative positions; and in general to provide such an improved apparatus as will be described more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of an auxiliary tank provided with a motor driven pump with my improved control apparatus;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the automatic switch;

Figure 3 is a side view of the switch shown in what may be termined the second open position; v

Figure 4 is a side View as seen from the opposite side from Figure 8 with the parts dot-ted in to show the first or normal open position; and

Figure 5 is a side View showing the parts with the switch in closed position.

In the particular form of the apparatus as shown in these drawings, a motor driven pump 6 has an intake pipe 7 from the underground or storage tank and an outlet pipe 8 which leads to the auxiliary tank 9. Such auxiliary tank is intended to hold a limited amount of fuel for supplying the burner and has an outlet pipe 10 which leads to the burner The automatically controlled switch is preferably mounted on the top 11 of the auxiliary tank-and is adapted to be actuated by a float in the tank. In the particular form shown the switch blade 12 is pivoted at' 13 to a bracket or support 14 on the base 15. One end of the blade 12 which for convenience will be designated as the inner end is adapted to engage with the contacts 16 and 17 to close the circuit to the pump motor and when this end moves downwardly it disengages from the contacts to open the circuit and stop the motor. The opposite or outer end of the blade 12 has two oppositely bevelled or tapered operating faces 18 and 19. These faces are engaged by a roller 20 which is mounted on a pin'21 on the end of a finger 22 which is pivotally mounted at 23 to the outer end of an arm 24. The arm 24 is pivoted at face38 to a stand or bracket 26 on the base 15. The finger 22 is drawn toward the arm 26 by a spring 27 as shown particularly in Figure .3. The arm 24 is preferably provided with 5 a projection 28 for engagement with the switch to ensure the positive opening of the switch when the arm 24 swings to opening position. Y

The arm 24 is controlled by any suitable connections from the float in the tank 9. In

the present arrangement the outer end ofthe arm is connected by a link 29 to one end of a lever 30 which is pivoted at 31 on a bracket 32 on the lower side of the cover 11. The osite end of the lever 3 0 is connected to eat 83 which float is provided with asuitable guide 34. A detent or stop jaw 35 is pivoted on the pin 18 and has a foot or projection 36 which engages with the base 15 to to limit its movement in one direction; The

outer end of the detent 35 is normally held in raised position by a spring 37 between the projection 36 and the bracket 14. The outer end of the detent or pawl 35 is preferably as made slightly concave and is adapted to intercept the roller 20 when it has moved along the face 19 a sufllcient distance to throw the switch to closed position.

The switch blade 12 has a shoulder 38 at 99 the inner end of the bevelled face or surface 40 the liquid is drawn from the tank 9 and this the outer end of the lever 24 to be,

causes raised. until the roller 20 passes from the bevelled surface 18 over the apex and onto the surface 19 when it presses down on the blade and causes the inner end of the blade to swing upwardly to close the switch and start themotor. the roller passes over the apex it comes tonest against the detent 35 as shown in Figure 5' with the switch in as closed position. When .sufiicient fluid is pumped into the tank toagaimraise'. the fluid the outer end of the arm 24 is depressed and the roller 20 again moves down to engage with the face 18 and causes the switch 5 blade to open the switch which the motor. This cycleof tions will occur as often 'as necessary w n all of. the par are in proper condition and the fuel is being used in the auxiliary tank the regular ea manner.

However, if the float should become punctured so that oil would enter the same as might occur with a hollow float or if the float became too heavyas might occur with a cork or solid floatand would sink beyond its normal position the arm 24 will be raised beyond the position shown in Figure 5 until the roller 20 passes over the end of the detent 35 when it would be forced inwardly by the spring 27 and would strike the shoulder 38 and swing the switch blade 12 to again open the switch and it would of course remain open and the motor would be tapped until proper repairs were made.

I If the outlet pipe 10 should become broken or if for any reason the oil should run out of the tank 9 faster than it would be pumped into the tank, the float 33 would sink beyond its normal bottom or lower position and would raise the end of the arm 24 so that the noller 20 would pasaover the detent '35 and the motor in this instance would also be stopped. In both of thse operations to throw the switch to what may be termed the second open position, the projection 89 is sufficient so that the roller will act to open the switch blade even if the 27 is broken or is too weak to ur e the mullet with sufficient force against 6 shoulder 38. While the device might be operative to give the switch blade the different openingmovm ments without the use of the detent, the second or emergency :fimfifll! of the switch might be such that opening wo ld he comparatively slow with the consequent posaibility of or burning the contents. For this reason I have found that the pnevision of the detent i8. particllhl' y. desirable as it gives a hammer throw to the roller in the second or emergency opening movement, thereby giving a quick break to the switch. From this description it will be seen that I provide an arrangement whereby any failure on the mat of the apparatus will be on the safety side and there will be practically no dang-m of flooding the basement or boiler room with fuel from the supply tank.

v It will also be noted that it may be desir: able to change the shape or arrangement of the parts for different conditions or other changes may bemade in thadetails of construction without duper from'l he scope of this invention and there one I do not wish to be limited to the exact arrangement here.- in and described except as {3018M out in the following claims, in which 1. A switch operating lever havi than two faces at one end more ereof and an .actamtmg member adapted to engage with said faces to throw the I determined opened or closed position.

2. A. pivoted switch operatmg lever having three engaging faces arrangd in align ment at one end thereofia pressed actuating member adapts to engage with said faces, and means for moving said member and causing it to engage at times with the several faces to .thncw the lever to predetermined open or closed positions for the switch. 7 p

claim;

3. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a pivoted switch blade having two engaging faces arranged at an angle to each other and a shoulder adjacent to one of said faces, a spring pressed operating member for engagement with said faces and shoulder and a yielding detent tending to hold the operating member in engagementwith one of the faces, the arrangement being such that when said operating member passes the detent it will strike a blow against the shoulder to open the switch.

4. The combination with a pivoted switch blade having a tapered engaging face at one end thereof, a spring pressed roller for en gagement with said face to throw the switch to open position, said blade having a second face arranged at an angle to the first named face so that when the roller engages therewithv it will throw the switch to closed position, said blade also having a third face above the second named face arranged so that the switch willbe opened when the roller engages therewith and means tending to hold the roller at times in engagement with the second named face, the arrangement being such that when the roller passes oversaid means it will strike against thethird named face.

5. A switch mechanism, comprising the combination of a switch supporting lever provided with a tapered extremity, an actuating arm, a switch operating member yieldingly connected with the actuating arm and adapted to move across said tapered extremity to positions above and below the same,

said operating member being adapted to bear yieldingly against the switch supporting lever both when above and when below said extremity, whereby said switch supporting lever may be actuated in two directions by the pressure of said operating member, said switch supporting lever also having a projection adjacent to the tapered extremity which is adapted to be engaged at times by said operating member to. throw the switch i lever to open the switch.

6. The combination of a switch lever provided with a tapered extremity, an actuating arm, a switch operating member yieldingly connected with the actuating arm and adapted tomove across the tapered extremity for, swinging the lever, said lever also having a projection adjacent to the tapered extremity which is adapted to be engaged by the operating member and a yielding detent pivoted adjacent to the lever and adapted to engage with the operating member when it is pressing against one side of the tapered extremlty, a r

7 The combination of a lever having a I projection angularly faced in two directions from an apexed extremity, an actuating arm, a reslllent yield ng operatlng member carrled by the actuating arm in a position to move along the angular face of said extremity and to be forced across said extremity by the actuating arm and a projection on the lever adapted to be engaged by the operating member to throw the lever when the operatifng member has passed beyond the adjacent ace.

8. The combination of a switch lever provided with a fulcrum intermediate of its ends and having an angularly shaped apexed projection one one side of said fulcrum, an actuating arm pivoted adjacent to the lever, an operating member pivoted to the actuating arm and adapted to move along the angular faces of said projection to points above and below the apex, means for resiliently pressing said operating member against said angular faces for swinging the lever, said lever also having a projection adjacent to one of the angular faces which is, adapted to be engaged by said operating member to throw the lever to open the switch and a yielding detent arranged adjacent to the switch lever and tending to hold the operating member at times in engagement with one of said faces, the arrangement being such that when the operating member passes the detent it will engage said projection. 

